Spanning approximately 90,000 square feet, the campus will bring residential, educational, and treatment programs together in a purpose-built setting. Designed by NBBJ, with structural engineering by McNamara • Salvia and construction led by Suffolk Construction, the development includes a four-story residential building and a two-story classroom building.
Behind the design, careful structural planning is helping make the most of the available space, with DELTABEAM® Composite Beams and ATLANT® Strong Composite Columns contributing to the overall solution.
Project Challenge: Making Every Inch Count
Designing a campus around the needs of its occupants means looking closely at how every space will function.
For the project team, one of the key considerations was preserving floor-to-ceiling height while accommodating the structural system and building services. Fire resistance also needed to be addressed without adding unnecessary complexity to the design.
Achieving these objectives required a coordinated structural approach, one that could support the architectural vision while meeting the practical demands of construction.
Peikko Solution: More Room for Design
DELTABEAM® Composite Beams offered an effective way to preserve valuable interior height. Unlike conventional steel beams that extend below the slab, DELTABEAM® is integrated within the floor depth.
Used in combination with hollowcore slabs, the system helped maximize floor-to-ceiling height while providing greater flexibility for routing building services below the slab.
ATLANT® Strong Composite Columns complemented the beam system, offering a compact column solution that helps make more efficient use of interior space. With integrated fire resistance in both products, the structural solution also addressed an important project requirement.
But the advantages went beyond the products themselves.
Peikko joined the project during the design-assist phase, giving the structural and construction teams an opportunity to work through critical details before construction began.
“Having Peikko involved during the design-assist phase was very valuable. We were able to work through the right details early, understand the architectural impacts of the connections, and address constraints and limitations during design instead of playing catch-up during construction.”
Daniel Wilcoxon, P.E.
Senior Project Manager, McNamara • Salvia
Having the beams, columns, and connection details coordinated through one team helped streamline decisions and limit the back-and-forth that can occur when different structural components are designed separately.
“There was an advantage in having the DELTABEAM® beams, ATLANT® Strong Composite Columns and connection details coordinated through the same team. Rather than having delegated design move back and forth between different parties, keeping those elements together made the process easier.”
Daniel Wilcoxon
From Early Coordination to Installation
That collaborative approach continued throughout preconstruction.
Working alongside Suffolk Construction and the design team, Peikko provided estimating support from schematic design through the final stages of preconstruction while remaining actively involved in coordination meetings as the design progressed.
For Suffolk, having reliable information early in the process helped establish confidence in both the solution and its pricing.
“The Peikko Preconstruction team were great partners throughout the preconstruction process. They provided accurate, detailed estimates from the Schematic Design phase through final buyout, which gave us confidence in the pricing as the design progressed.”
Michael Nigro
Estimator, Suffolk Construction
The project also marked Suffolk Construction's first experience with DELTABEAM®. Bringing the different structural components together required close coordination, particularly around connections and installation details.
“This was our first experience with DELTABEAM®, and the project called for careful upfront coordination to bring together the different structural components and connection details. Throughout that process, Peikko's engineering team was available whenever questions came up, helping us work through the technical details and keep things moving.”
Dan Prisco
Project Executive, Suffolk Construction
Once construction moved into the field, that preparation made a noticeable difference.
“That upfront work paid off once installation began. The process in the field was seamless, and the erection team quickly found its rhythm, with the work progressing faster than planned. With less field welding and many of the connections bolted, the system was straightforward for the team to install.”
Dan Prisco
The benefits extended to the coordination of building services, where the slim-floor design helped reduce the obstacles typically associated with beams extending below the slab.
“Mechanical coordination was also simplified, as services could be routed below the slab without having to pass beneath or through conventional steel beams.”
Dan Prisco
A Collaborative Approach, From Design to Delivery
For the McLean Child and Adolescent Campus, the value of the structural solution was reflected not only in the space it helped preserve, but also in the way the project came together.
Early collaboration helped the team address structural details, coordinate building services, and carry design decisions through to installation, with fewer complications in the field.
For Daniel Wilcoxon, the experience reinforced the value of involving the right partners early.
“I appreciated the interaction with the Peikko design team and how available they were throughout the process. Based on my experience on the McLean Child and Adolescent Campus project, I would encourage owners to use the system again, for sure.”
Daniel Wilcoxon
With completion anticipated in June 2027, the new campus will bring together spaces dedicated to care, learning, and daily life, supported by a structural system designed to make the most of the building's interior space.
